From foreclosure frauds to subprime shenanigans, mortgage fraud is a growing crime threat that is hurting homeowners, businesses, and the national economy. We have developed new ways to detect and combat mortgage fraud, including collecting and analyzing data to spot emerging trends and patterns. And we are using the full array of investigative techniques to find and stop criminals before the fact, rather than after the damage has been done.

Mortgage FraudScam
'Dream Homes' Turns into Nightmare

04/27/09

The company had all the trappings of success—its top officials lived lavish lifestyles, kept a fleet of chauffeur-driven cars, and donated generously to charities. And it used slick marketing to sell its “Dream Homes Program,” which promised to pay homeowners’ mortgages in return for an up-front fee that would be invested in profitable business ventures.

But the dream turned into a $70 million nightmare for more than a thousand investors—among the latest victims of mortgage fraud.

According to federal grand jury indictments unsealed today, the five people behind Metro Dream Homes and the bogus mortgage payment program were actually running an elaborate deception—one eventually unraveled through the cooperative efforts of federal and state law enforcement agencies.

Between 2005 and 2007, victims were persuaded into investing at least $50,000 with Metro Dream Homes, either by refinancing their existing homes or buying new homes at inflated prices.

Investors were told not to worry about high mortgages because Metro Dream Homes would pay their future monthly payments and pay off their mortgages within five to seven years using returns on the homeowner’s original investment. Then the homeowner and Metro Dream Homes would own an equal interest in the home.

Victims were told that their $50,000—not including an administrative fee of up to $5,000—would be used to fund investments in automated teller machines, flat-screen TV displays that carried commercial advertisements, and Touch-N-Buy electronic kiosks that sold telephone calling cards and other items.

To make the scam seem more legitimate, the company marketed its program through live presentations at posh hotels in Washington, D.C.; Baltimore; and even Beverly Hills, California.

In the end, it was a classic Ponzi scheme: the proceeds from later investors went to pay the mortgages of earlier investors. The ATMs, flat-screen TVs, and electronic kiosks never generated any meaningful revenue, federal prosecutors contend.

And the bulk of the money? It lined the defendants’ pockets—with $200,000-a-year salaries, luxury cars, and travel to major sporting events like the 2007 Super Bowl.

By the time law enforcement shut down the company, homeowners had already invested about $70 million. When Metro Dream Homes stopped making the mortgage payments, the homeowners were left holding the bag. The defendants, meanwhile, are facing long prison terms for multiple counts of fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and other charges.

At a press conference today at the Department of Justice to announce the indictments, Harrington said that to combat the recent “exponential rise in mortgage fraud investigations,” the FBI has increased the number of agents who investigate mortgage fraud from 120 in 2007 to more 250 today. We participate in 18 mortgage fraud task forces and 47 working groups across the country.

“One of the best tools the FBI has in its arsenal for combating mortgage fraud,” he said, “is its long-standing partnerships with other federal, state, and local law enforcement.”

If you have been the victim of a mortgage fraud scheme or have information about one, call your local FBI office or submit a tip electronically.

Diamond Resorts International

Diamond Resorts International are dishonest and after contacting the Court House and Prosecutor I will file a case against them.
They have collected from my credit card the sums of $1008, $1008, $31, 56$31, 56 for the MFees for two weeks i purchased from a private owner.
When the owner contacted DIAMOND RESORTS she was told her weeks were foreclosed.
They also will not deal with me as they say I am a third party yet they were more than willing to TAKE MY MONEY OFF MY CREDIT CARD.
My other two weeks Ipaid the fees for as well
MY THIRTEEN YEAR OLD DAUGHTER RECEIVED REGISTERED LETTERS SENT TO HER TELLING HER WEEKS WERE FORECLOSED AND THE LETTERS WERE SENT TO THE BAHAMAS.
The "legal counsel' sent me an email to say that they never sent my daughter registered letters. This again confirms the statement that 'Lawyers are liars!"
I showed the letters to the Resort Manager who told me his hands were tied and he couldn't do anything.
I still have never received any contracts for my first two weeks and we have no proof of ownership.
I also never was contacted about the sale for Sunterra to Diamond Resorts International.
The person who contacted me by email told me "Time is money and I will not waste any more time in contacting you'"
I was also told "The BAHAMAS comes up automatically when we type in your address on St Martin!'
They have to be stopped
Kanga

http://www.complaintsboard.com/complaints/rude-amp-lying-c322239.html

Diamond Resorts International

I wrote Diamond on March 6, 2010 with no response asking them to transfer maintenance fees to San Luis Bay Inn. This was after I was told they were not yet transferred by Fairfield Management Resort. I paid club dues not recognizing until today Diamond collects maintenance fees for all locations except San Luis Bay Inn. I verified my account with Diamond showed $0 in maintenance fees dues in addition to club fees believing they were paid. Their site indicates they collect both. Nowhere on their site dso they indicate this policy is not applicable to San Luis Bay Inn. If you call the automated number, however, they indicate they are unable to take payment for San Luis Bay Inn. As a result of Diamond’s not specifying this deviation in policy, I owe a collection agency $649.49 for $240.92. One simple phone call or an explanation of the deviation in policy on their web-site would have handled this matter. Or for that matter, indicating what the fees were that I initially paid for.

Their response when I called Diamond Resorts this morning and pressed #0 (you can't get anyone from their corporate office). The person indicated to me that I should have known better. He told me “it has been years since Sunterra collected fees and that I didn’t haven’t my facts straight.” I told him that I have a copy of my VISA statement for 2009 showing otherwise—he hung it on me. Unfortunately, I find their people arrogant when they are ill-informed and make no effort to remedy their mistakes.

The collection agency said this also happens with RCI. They use the words maintenance fees and confuse people. In all honesty, owning a time-share is not worth it-- I find that I am dealing with people who don't care or not willing to help you. This is not the first time that Diamond has been so rude to me, or cost me money. I believe they do this to get more money from the collection agency.

Diamond Resorts International

My wife and I have ownership interests in the Flamingo Beach Resort and the Flamingo Beach Villas in Sint Maarten. These properties were acquired last year by Diamond Resorts International.

When we purchased the time share weeks the initial Maintenance Fees were set in the contract but the contracts were mute with regard to inflation but we were assured that the rates would follow the local inflation rates in St Marten. We have just received our invoice for this year and find that our fees have increased 34% and 42% respectively. When I expressed concern over the increase to Diamond Resorts International I was told to 'get a lawyer'.

If we do not pay the fees we forfeit the properties and our initial investments. We feel that the increase is unconscionable and intended to force owners to abandon their investment so that the properties can be resold.

We understand that a class action suit is being mobilized by a local law firm in Sint Maarten on behalf of owners to address the Maintenance fee increases and the purported use of capital reserves to pay debts. We have also contacted the Attorney General for our state. It is hard to imagine that firms like Diamond Resorts International can operate in such a heavy handed way.

I purchased a timeshare with points I could use every year. I was told the fees would total less than $800 a year when I purchased the week. I have received bills in excess of $1300 and when I requested an accounting of taxes and fees to try to understand why the charges were so much than I was quoted at time of purchase, no one responded to my written communication even though I have documentation that shows my correspondence was received. There is no control over how much you will be charged once you purchase one of these units. The sales people will tell you anything to get you to purchase and you have no recourse. If you refuse to pay the huge fees, your credit will be ruined. It took me two months to get the phone number I have included so I could talk to someone who was no help what so ever. Stay away from this company as their business practices are horrible and you will be SORRY. Once you purchase you are stuck. The properties are never filled and some of them are old and in less than great condition and you can stay at them for a fraction of what you will pay in fees if you purchase.

Our story is likely a familiar one to all of you. My wife and I bought a timeshare at the Diamond Resorts property in Sedona, AZ in 2008. We have yet to vacation on it, but have been hit with a 35% and 40% annual increase in maintenance fees, which we are required to pay in order to preserve the original investment (roughly $13, 000). These fee hikes have destroyed the value proposition for the original purpose (i.e., saving money on vacations), since the maintenance fees are now as much as we typically spend on our week of vacation. During the sales pitch, which centered on the cost saving of owning versus buying hotels in an environment of 10-15% yoy increases in vacationing costs, we specifically asked about the annual rates of increase in maintenance and other annual fees, and we were assured that these costs had and would continue to rise at low single digit rates. This was obviously was a fraudulent statement, which the customer service representative at Diamond said should not have been made. The problem is that Diamond is not taking responsibility for what is essentially a deceptive trade practice. Having attended multiple time share presentations, it is clear that all of them offer the same economic savings argument during the sales pitch--an argument that is made fraudulent in light of these fee increases. As an aside, I do not understand how these cost increases are approved, especially since Diamond claims that a subset of the owners (like my wife and I) have approved them. This could be another fraudulent statement, as I cannot imagine which owners would have signed off on such dramatic increases in maintenance fees. I am also willing and eager to join any lawsuit that is filed and hope that everyone posting here has also filed a complaint with the Nevada Attorney's General Office and its Division on Consumer Affairs (see http://ag.state.nv.us/complaints/complaints.htm).

This is my third attempt to correct this grave error that has occurred - resulting in our apparent loss of ownership. We discovered this on our own, when considering booking a Sunterra resort in Scottsdale, AZ next week. We learned that over that past year our deed had a lien placed on it and then was foreclosed on in August (according to Douglas County records - even though we were told that it happened in Clark county). Here are the facts, as brief as I can be:

We have owned since 2003
Bought in Sedona, AZ - 5000 points
Ownership fully paid for
Used only 4 times
Had over 6300 points when our membership was "closed"
NEVER CONTACTED BY RIDGE POINT REGARDING MAINTENANCE FEES - BILL, PASSED DUE, LIEN, ETC.
Continually received mailings, notifications, emails and bills from Sunterra
All bills paid
According to the dates in the legal system, we have been billed, communicated with, and paid fees even after we apparently lost our property
Our ownership cancellation was never reported to us - from Ridge Pointe, Resorts West, Sunterra or Diamond Resorts.

We have invested over $11, 000 for less than 4 weeks of travel, paid all membership fees and apparently missed maintenance fees after having never been billed. Our credit has been impacted without our knowledge and our asset has been taken from us - due to mistakes and lack of communication - between Resorts West and Sunterra/Diamond and the owner.

We have been told, "Sorry, we sold it." And, "yeah, we shouldn't have billed you; we'll reimburse your membership fees." We want our points and our good standing reestablished, with the opportunity to pay missed maintenance fees. We have outstanding credit and aside from our mortgage, have paid for all that we own in full. I share this because to reinforce the fact that we pay our bills and would have paid maintenance fees - we were never given the chance and someone needs to accept responsibility rather than blaming each other and/or the owner.

Please, someone "step up and make this right." This is a plea for various parties to work together to get our owner status restored, including our maintenance fees paid by us. I am hoping that upon review, all will recognize their mistakes, accept responsibility and collaborate to get our full ownership status with Sunterra/Diamond back ASAP - with the points we had when it was closed.

You can also call your credit card company to dispute your charge, I luckily buy Chase Fraud Detector,

so despite other department doesn't want to dispute the weird charges,

Chase Fraud Detector help me disputed 3 of them.

I only agree to pay the postage of the trial

12/10/2009 12/7/2009 SUP*SMILEBRIGHT 877-5947850 OH $86.93

12/7/2009 12/4/2009 SUP*TEETHWHITE 877-2926892 OH $79.95

11/19/2009 11/17/2009 beutyclub 8668477659 $1.95

11/19/2009 11/17/2009 softhealth 8772055816 $0.99

Let me tell you what I did today.

I CALL SUP*SMILEBRIGHT 877-5947850 talk to Bridget, the company looks like register in OH right?

But No, according from Bridget, their address is Iowa,

Dezzle White Address 3600 Army Post Road, Des Moines, Iowa 50321.

I asked Bridget,

What did I buy for $86.93?

She said

I asked does the trial worth $86.93
She said "Yes".(Really? We are that stupid to buy this for $86.93)

Can I cancel?

She said "No",it's expired the trial date.

Call this number 877-5947850,

To whom who wanna sue them, please count me in.

Let me make a conclusion of how to solve the problem.

1. call 877-5947850, them you want to cancel the membership.

2. call your credit card company, the number is behind the card.

(BTW, your credit card company will also want to know what number and who you contact in this company,Remember to write it down.)

Date/Time: December 28 2009, 14:19:46

Order ID: DZW241268927978

Your PremiumWhite Cancellation Confirmation

Dear *************

Thank you for taking the time to try out PremiumWhite. This is an automated message to confirm that you have recently been removed from our preferred customer program; therefore you will no longer be receiveing any more PremiumWhite products or shipments unless a shipment had already been shipped prior to your cancellation.

Please keep this cancellation note for future reference.

Sincerely,

PremiumWhite Cancellation Department

NOTE: This message is fully automated, so please do not reply to this message. If you have any further questions of concerns please contact our customer service department at 888-591-2190
.

THEFT BY DECEPTION (Denta White)
send everything toSmile Brightin Colorado, like she was told to, and they said it was a different company she should have returned it to Denta White in Sanish Fork Utah. These companies are scamming people for thousands of dollars!...

scam
statement but supersmile brighteven though I ordered it through Health Smile ( all these different names are done to confuse us I think even though they are one and the same), and I found out that I had this ridiculous subscription that comes with premium white to some fitness web site! I can't believe it ...

Premium White scam
93 from SuperSmile Brightbefore my 14 day trial period was up. I immediately called to cancel my credit card and called my bank to dispute the charges. Now I have to spend $20. 00 in shipping fees to send this crap back. What systems are in place to stop SCAMS like this from happening? What can we do?...

unauthorized charges
but differently"Smile bright/Dazzle White". It's a scam out of Canada. I DO NOT work for Dazzle White, but was scammed just like everyone else. I investigated this most of the day today, and got some very usefull information. You have to cancel your debit/credit card, and get a new one (hastle), but unfortunately, that's the only way to stop them...

illegal charging of credit cards
93 fromSmile Bright, whom I did not order anything from, I ordered from CleanWhite and Dazzle White. All I got from Dazzle White was two pens which mentioned nothing whatsoever about returning anything or ANY further charges at all getting charged to me. I blocked my card and have to get a new one and dispute the charges now...

Fraudulant Automatic Withdrawals
It was an online order ofsmile bright. They automaticly sign you up for the world fit club and the $24. 13 is the monthly fee. changing your card won't help YOU have to call them. here the # if you don't have it 1-866-407-5590 Good luck!!! Oh and you won't get your money back! :O(...

unauthorized charges
company with the nameSmile Bright. They have it posted on their sight not to be confused with the scam artists that are using there name to rip people off. they gave me a couple of numbers to call as well. 801-366-0260 302-577-8600 Good luck everyone!...

unauthorized charges
Thesmile brightdebited twice for "the free trial" in amount $195 (AUS), Where it is supposed to be free and only pay the shipping around $14. To avoid any further charging, I cancell my current debit card and will report it to the authority...

THEFT BY DECEPTION (Denta White)
send everything toSmile Brightin Colorado, like she was told to, and they said it was a different company she should have returned it to Denta White in Sanish Fork Utah. These companies are scamming people for thousands of dollars!...

scam
statement but supersmile brighteven though I ordered it through Health Smile ( all these different names are done to confuse us I think even though they are one and the same), and I found out that I had this ridiculous subscription that comes with premium white to some fitness web site! I can't believe it ...

Premium White scam
93 from SuperSmile Brightbefore my 14 day trial period was up. I immediately called to cancel my credit card and called my bank to dispute the charges. Now I have to spend $20. 00 in shipping fees to send this crap back. What systems are in place to stop SCAMS like this from happening? What can we do?...

unauthorized charges
but differently"Smile bright/Dazzle White". It's a scam out of Canada. I DO NOT work for Dazzle White, but was scammed just like everyone else. I investigated this most of the day today, and got some very usefull information. You have to cancel your debit/credit card, and get a new one (hastle), but unfortunately, that's the only way to stop them...

illegal charging of credit cards
93 fromSmile Bright, whom I did not order anything from, I ordered from CleanWhite and Dazzle White. All I got from Dazzle White was two pens which mentioned nothing whatsoever about returning anything or ANY further charges at all getting charged to me. I blocked my card and have to get a new one and dispute the charges now...

Fraudulant Automatic Withdrawals
It was an online order ofsmile bright. They automaticly sign you up for the world fit club and the $24. 13 is the monthly fee. changing your card won't help YOU have to call them. here the # if you don't have it 1-866-407-5590 Good luck!!! Oh and you won't get your money back! :O(...

unauthorized charges
company with the nameSmile Bright. They have it posted on their sight not to be confused with the scam artists that are using there name to rip people off. they gave me a couple of numbers to call as well. 801-366-0260 302-577-8600 Good luck everyone!...

unauthorized charges
Thesmile brightdebited twice for "the free trial" in amount $195 (AUS), Where it is supposed to be free and only pay the shipping around $14. To avoid any further charging, I cancell my current debit card and will report it to the authority...

ordered a 99 cent trial an every bleaching company send me bleach for teeth and charges
i get the one fromsmile brightfor 99cents, then 2 weeks later I get my credit card bill.smile bright1-877-221-0156 DE . 99 cents, then whites smile for $4. 94 #1888-227-2950 CYP THEN a smile pure 1-877-240-7753 DE, It was for $92. 47. Then I also have a charge from beutyclub #1-866-847-7659 cyp an it was for $79...

chargessmile brightis a rip off and there 50 other companies start tring to hit your account. like charging you 20. oo to surf there web site. if you are looking for whiter teeth just look at my butt because there white teeth are in it ...

unauthorized charges
i signed up for a free sample of each of these products because i read an article about how if you mix them together they will work wonders. not only did the products not work, they charged about 80 dollars in fees from multiple other "subscriptions" that i signed up for when agr...

Credit Card Charges
The company advertises a free trial of the product for teeth whitening for $1.95. I have not received anything from them and now they have charged my credit card for $86.93. How can I get this money back. When I call the number on their website, they tell me they are not associated with th...

Bogus Charges
I purchased a trial for a teeth whitening product after seeing it on my friend's Facebook page. I recently found out that her Facebook was hacked and it was posted as my friend's status update.

I received a small product and then 2 weeks was charged an additional $...

fraudulent company
I clicked on a pop up which offered a free trial of a teeth whitening product, after reading all the small print, I accepted that there was a charge of £8 for the trial product and was happy to continue. After I had received the free trial I noticed that there were unauthorised trans...

Taking money from account
Seeing an ad online for a teeth cleansing/whitening product trial that would cost only $3.00, to ship, I made payments for is and now I realized that my credit Card was charged for 94.44 on the 14th of December 2009 and then for 52.04 on the same day. What is this nonsense? The deal said t...

did not follow customer's requests
i answered a pop up ad on the Web. After filling out the asked for information, I talked with an operator, explaining that I wanted ONLY the free trial, for which a $1.95 S&H charge was expected. I very deliberately specified that I DID NOT want the product, just the trial. She tried t...

scam
I was "clearly" told by the person on the phone that I needed to call back on Nov. 2nd after I had a longer time to try the the Brightwhite pen in order to cancel my order. I try all day to get to them on the phone and finally I got through on the 2nd day of November like I was t...

deceptive promo & charges
The promotional trial product (teeth whitening) will lure you in on the price for less than $5, and if you do not respond within 14 days to cancel and or ship back, they conveniently charge your account $86 +/- dollars three weeks later.
Look out!!! ...do not click on that buttom!,...

extra gharges
I recrieved a trial sample of the product that they said was free and then they charged my bank account. I was able to get ahold of them and cancel the so called free trial but am still being charged more than 8O dollars a month on my account. and now I can't find them to get my money...

Unauthorized charges/SCAM/FRAUD
Stop before accepting a trial offer - You will be sorry !

Sarend Services LTD has out maneuvered legal action - but it will not be long before they will closed and no one will be able to find them because they are stealing from consumers so underhandedly. These individuals m...

Money paid out for goods not received
Having just ordered a supposedly innocent trial for just £29.95 I cancelled the order having not received any further details or advice letter. I made the mistake of giving a debit card number and now been charged over three times totalling £138.95 for one poxy dentist whitener...

Unauthorized charges
My 86 y o mom ordered a "sample" online giving her CC number for $2.87. A guy called her and told her she was signed up for $47 a month. She said "NO. Cancel the order." The guy assured her he would only charge her for the sample. The sample arrived (.08 oz of peroxide)...

Creadit rip off
I signed up for a $7.95 trial and was charged $86 a month without knowing it and another #24 a month for world fittness club, which I never heard of until I got my visa charge. Some where in the small print they hid this info. RIP OFF!!! Canceled my card. The internet is full of these comp...

Smile Brightand an $86.00 charge! There is no free trial here!
I ordered this trial for $1.95 ... never got it ... Then got a charge on my credit card for $86.00! They refused to refund anything ... they did give me a cancelation # ... but trying to track them down was a feat in itself! I will be submitting my complaint to the attourney gen ... these ...

Unauthorized credit card charges
different name "Sup*Smile Brightwith a different phone number than Ultrifreshwell used when it charged my card the initial $2. 95 shipping charge. I did receive the "free" sample, but it has no company name, address or phone number and is obviously part of a scam to obtain credit card numbers and make fradulent charges...

And let me tell you, did they really send something? worth $167.00, No. And I know they will keep charging me until I die. (Or cancel my credit card)

12/10/2009 12/7/2009 SUP*SMILEBRIGHT 877-5947850 OH $86.93

12/7/2009 12/4/2009 SUP*TEETHWHITE 877-2926892 OH $79.95

I try to call my bank account and guess what the security department said, they said it's not fraud, I did sign up for it and didn't cancel the membership,according to them, the company "Dazzle White.softhealth.SUP*SMILEBRIGHT..." just follow the procedure.

So I asked "How come they use different 4 names charged me 4 times," she said " That's normal."

Wanna know what kind of idiot will help fraud company cheat their own customer's money, the bank's name is "Ch8se". And sorry I don'thave the old lady's name.

Recently I saw my phone bill has some weird charges put on RingTones/AnswerTones/Games type, and charge me $40 bucks within a month.

I was quite confused and thought the money would be gone forever without knowing who's stealing my money.

Today, I search the forum and got a phone number 1-800-331-0500,

after telling them my situation, they transfer my phone to a lady named Erica {Personal content removed},she's so patient and knowledgeable.

Erica not only help me look into my case, she also shows her passion in working and enjoy helping people to solve their difficulties.

I was so thankful and feel lucky it's Erica helps me today, hope that is AT&T's spirit, all people in AT&T are like her.

I only asked Erica help to looks into my phone bill history this month, and hope I could get my $40 back, (Frankly speaking, I didn't eventhink about getting back, just wanna know what happened, who's charging me.)

Now, Erica helps me turn on my "purchaseblocker", and get me $70 back, she said there's more charges but she can only disputed within certain days (I think it's 90 days), I am already so happy I know the reason, could block the fraud party, and get more than $40back.

AT&T, keeps your spirit, I hope you could have more people like Erica, and I will not be cheap to spread my positive good words for you.